Namas'tay Happy

It is funny how people change, throughout our lives you can look back and almost see a different person, we evolve to become who we are today, as new challenges face us we build the strength and courage to move on, move up and find ourselves.

I have a philosophy in life, to turn a negative into a positive, bad into good and wrong into right. Looking on the brightside has helped me get through a lot in life, and it's also how Yoga found me. I guess you could say that I'm fortunate to be naturally slim. In my teens and twenties I could eat what I wanted and maintain my weight. I enjoyed after work drinks frequently and smoked like a chimney as I held onto a glass of champagne! Although this sounds amazing, back then I wasn't fit or particularly healthy. I just had age and good genes on my side.

I fell pregnant easily with my first son. I put on a ton of weight though, and its true when they say, nine months to put it on and nine months to shift it. My partying days were over and life as a mummy found me. I found the unconditional love addictive and it wasn't long before I was desperate to make our family of three into a family of four.

Again I was fortunate to fall pregnant quickly. When I saw that double blue line I never thought for a moment that I wouldn't have a lovely little baby in my arms in nine months. But at 11 weeks I miscarried. I remember looking at my son with such overwhelming love. I knew what I had lost but I also knew how lucky I was to have what I have. That's when my life's philosophy kicked in. I had become much more aware of health and fitness and wondered how I could turn this negative into a positive. I had always been interested in Yoga and the known benefits were a big attraction. Before trying to conceive again I wanted to be physically fit and mentally healthy, and so off I went to my first class.

After one class I was hooked. As a child I loved dance and even studied it at college. The fluidity of movement you get in yoga is very similar to dance so perhaps it was this sense of familiarity that made yoga the right fit for me. Not only did I get stronger physically, but also mentally, and as every parent knows, a strong mind is everything!

I got pregnant again and my second son come along nearly a year to date of that first class. I practiced yoga throughout my pregnancy and it made an unbelieveable difference. I would never of say I'm a lover (or even a liker) of pregnancy but when yoga helped me get to place where I felt connected with myself, my baby and my breath. I didn't have back pain and experienced increased energy. It was an amazing feeling and every time I went to class I felt my thoughts and worries vanish.

Thanks to yoga, a new fitter, healthier and happier me has emerged. But it doesn't fix everything in the way you might hope it would.

Another two miscarriage later, and still hoping for a third, I've turned my attention and passion to teaching yoga. What more could you ask for in a job? Get paid for doing something you love, perfect!

I was hesitant to the idea at first, It may come as a surprise to those of you that know me but I'm not naturally confident. I was painfully shy as a child and there will always be elements of that little girl that will stay with me. I thought, 'How could a shy girl get up in front of everyone and teach?!" But sometimes it just takes one thing to give you that push. A friend, who I hand't seen for years, started going to the same yoga class as me and she asked if I'd ever consider teaching. She said I'd be amazing. I don't know if it was timing or the thought of somebody else thinking I was good enough, but that got ME thinking I was good enough.

I'm now qualified to teach adults and children as well as ante and postnatal yoga. I've gone from the girl who was happy to be in the back of the Yoga class doing her thing to the person at the front leading the flow.

Yoga has helped me to evolve, build strength and find the courage to take on life's challenges with a positive mind. I often wonder where I would be if I didn't lose that first baby.

Would I be teaching or would I be a mum of ten?!! Who knows. Ok, yoga hasn't fixed everything but I'm so happy with what life has given me and feel blessed that I'm able to share my passions with others.

6 week postnatal yoga course with Biba Yoga starts 22nd Feb. Find out more...

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#wellness #goodvibes #comealongtoocrew #motherhood